IOTA – This coming Saturday, December 13, Iota Volunteers for Family and Community will conduct its annual Christmas Food Drive. This year’s drive marks the 20th anniversary of the annual event, and will be held at Iota Elementary School.

The Iota Christmas Drive began in December of 1988 as the St. Joseph’s Food Drive and continued until 1997, when the Iota VFC took it over.

“At the time, we were revitalizing the VFC club and had been helping the church with the drive. Both parties agreed upon the exchange of hands,” said Elaine Chatagnier.

Each year, the project involves area schools, including Iota Elementary, Iota Middle, Iota High and St. Francis, in the collection of canned goods and other needed items to fill approximately 100 baskets.

This year, Iota area Boy Scouts conducted a canned goods drive on Saturday, December 6 and the Catholic Daughters Court 1519 and the VFC Club donated fresh fryers for each basket.

“So far, we have collected about the same amount of items as last year,” Chatagnier said Thursday.

The preparation for the drive begins this morning, as VFC members along with volunteer members of the 4-H Clubs and Boy Scouts with the sorting of canned goods and other donated items.

Early Saturday morning, these groups deliver the boxes to the elderly and needy in the Iota area.

Chatagnier expressed her thankfulness to all who support this ongoing project by saying, “It is truly a community effort with monetary donations made by individuals and the many hours put into this worthwhile Christmas cause.”